The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
A conventional clamp is constituted of two members, i.e., a synthetic resin clip of a generally U-shape in cross-section and a metal plate spring of a generally U-shape in cross-section fitted inside the clip (e.g., Japanese Design Registration No. 1,212,949.) The clip includes a pair of opposing side walls, a pair of flange portions each outwardly protruded from the free end portion of each side wall, a pair of engaging shoulder portions each formed at the external surface of each wall for engaging the peripheral edge of the mounting hole of the automotive body panel in cooperation with the flange portion, and a pair of engaging portions each inwardly protruded from the inner surface of each side wall. On the other hand, the plate spring includes a pair of opposing walls each having an engaging aperture for engaging the corresponding engaging portion of the clip and having a pull-out preventing tongue portion extended obliquely downward for biting into the boss portion of the garnish.
Securing a garnish to an automotive body panel can be performed as follows. Initially, a boss portion of the garnish protruded from the rear surface of the garnish is inserted in the clamp so that the tongue portions of the plate spring bite into the sides of the boss portions. Then, in this state, the clip is inserted into a mounting hole formed in the automotive body panel until the peripheral edge portion of the mounting hole of the automotive body panel is clamped by and between the flange portion and the engaging shoulder portion of the clip from the inner and outer sides of the panel. Thus, the garnish can be secured to the automotive body panel.
In such conventional clamp, assembling the clamp, especially fitting the plate spring into the inside of the clip, was troublesome. Although the fact that the plate spring is of a U-shape in cross-section is one factor, the plate spring should be fitted into the clip by forcibly getting over the engaging portions formed on both inner surfaces of the side walls of the clip, which makes it difficult to assemble. Furthermore, in the case of inserting the boss portion of the garnish into the inside of the U-shaped plate spring, since the insertion operation cannot be performed by hand, tools are required, resulting in a troublesome insertion operation. Furthermore, since the metal plate spring is relatively expensive, the U-shaped spring causes increased production costs.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.